Features
Between Soil Test And Food Production In Nigeria
The task of increasing food production to address the growing challenge of food insecurity in Nigeria remains enormous and complex that requires concerted efforts of all stakeholders including families and individuals.
Agriculture, particularly the cultivation of crops for food production needs the application of best practices, relevant implements and techniques which should not be limited to the use of improved seedlings, mere application of fertilisers and use of machinery alone.
In this regard, soil test must be given priority attention by farmers and gardeners to ensure high yield during harvest.
The significance of soil investigation before actual planting of crops during farming season across the nation therefore appears to be trivialised and benalised over the years.
This probably accounts for poor yield in both subsistence and commercial agriculture in parts of the country and Africa.
As a result, food security is threatened despite the application of supposedly right amount of fertilizer, use of extension field officers who enlighten local farmers on improved agriculture and provision of micro finance to medium scale farmers by government and intervention agencies.
No doubt, the inability to conduct soil investigation by most farmers and gardeners may well be traceable to ignorance, high cost of conducting such investigation and over dependence on subsistence agriculture.
There is also an erroneous impression among many that soil investigation is limited to construction industry alone where soil tests are conducted for analysis to ascertain state of soil before road construction, bridges and building of houses take place.
Nonetheless, soil test remains an integral part of modern and improved agriculture aimed at increasing food production.
Soil test or investigation as applied to farmers is concerned with investigation into soil properties to ascertain the quality and quantity of nutrients available for crops. It involves the process by which plant nutrients, such as phosphorous, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, sulfur, copper and zinc among others are chemically removed, added or measured for “plant available” content within a sample. This is because the quantity of available nutrients in a sample, for instance, determines the amount of fertiliser that may be recommended.
Soil test too helps to identify soil or piece of land with which to farm, and in addition, related crops that do well in that soil texture. Better still, it measures soil pH, homier matter and level of acidity. Soil investigation and analysis, therefore, assist an enlightened farmer to adopt liming when necessary.
A soil expert in the Department of Crop and Soil Science Rivers State University of cience and Technology (RSUST), Professor Nnaemeka Isirima explains liming as the application of calcium and magnesium-rich materials to soil to neutralise soil acidity and in turn increase activity of soil.
Furthermore, soil pH represents a measurement of alkalinity or acidity of soil which is measured scientifically on a scale of one (1) to fourteen (14) with seven (7) considered as the neutral mark.
Scientists say when the measurement is below seven (7), the soil is said to be acidic while anything above seven (7) is considered alkaline soil.
One thing is clear: The rate of infiltration of water is an excellent indication of soil health.
Professor Isirima, in an interview, contended that soil is heterogeneous and not homogeneous and warned against application of fertilizer to crops without knowing the nutrients present or lacking in soil for cultivation, saying that such application of fertiliser could lead to what he called “Eutrophication”.
Eutrophication is dangerous because it makes a body of water to acquire high concentration of nutrients particularly phosphorus and nitrates that could lead to the growth of sea weeds called ALGAE.
Simply put, when fertiliser is applied without knowing the nutrient that is lacking, it may amount to waste of fertiliser because the piece of land could be “over rich” and in that case, the surplus overflows into surface water or water table beneath the earth.
Worse still, rather than being beneficial to plants the unnecessary addition of nutrients becomes detrimental.
Speaking during a recent plant tour of Notore Chemical Industries, formerly NAFCON, by stakeholders in agriculture, the chairman Agriculture Commission of Nigeria Economic Summit Group, Emmanuel Ijewere, stressed the need to conduct soil test in various zones of the country to ascertain the choice of fertilisers and applicable plants and crops, explaining that the use of fertilisers without soil test could be disastrous.
The overall benefits of soil investigation lies in the fact that farmers, growers and gardeners, as the case may be, appreciate the nature, and quality of soil in relation to plant nutrients, and this enables farmers to determine the type of crops to be planted, determines the right amount and type of fertilisers to be applied as well as whether or not to embark on liming if soil sample is acidic.
On the other hand, inability to conduct soil test may result in dumping of fertiliser that adds to pollution, leads to waste of money and resources that would otherwise have been spent on other in puts to increase food production through better yield.
In addition, Professor Bernard Onuegbu of the Department of Crops and Soil Science of Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, says “soil test enables farmers to appreciate the chemical integrity of soil as it affects the presence of heavy metals” which he described as injurious and non essential elements because they are not required for the normal growth and development of plants.
Professor Onuegbu, a former Commissioner for Agriculture, Rivers State, contended that even when the heavy metals are needed, they are needed in minute quantities and when absorbed by plants the injurious elements form part of food chain and thus create havoc in animal and humans.
According to him, some heavy metals such as cadmium and sulfur dioxide are not caused by unnecessary application of fertiliser but said that they are common in some native soils that had had history of pollution by crude oil, adding that soils along major roads contaminated with sulfur dioxide and smoke from exhaust of automotive vehicles have been found to be susceptible to heavy metals.
In Japan, for instance, Professor Onuegbu said cadmium, an example of heavy metals, is known to have caused a disease in man called ITAI-TAIL in which there is disintegration of bones in human body.
In fact, GLANZE 1996 identified heavy metals to include antimony, cerium, chromium, arsenic, bismuth, cadmium, cobalt, manganese, copper, gallium, lead, gold, mercury, nickel, platinum, silver, iron and tin. Others are thallium, uranium, vanadium, tellurium, and zinc.
Given this background, food scarcity nationwide may not after all be attributed to use of primitive tools alone but the absence and inability to conduct soil investigation to determine the right application of fertiliser or undertake liming if need be.
To this end, it is pertinent to suggest to the authority concerned to include as a matter of necessity, soil analysis that may be beneficial to farmers, gardeners and agronomist in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) so that farmers within certain project sites could take advantage of such soil analysis to improve their agricultural practice.
Fertiliser manufacturing companies must collaborate with relevant stakeholders such as research institutes in agriculture to conduct soil analysis in the country to aid in the right use of available fertilisers as well as choose the right crops.
Farmers practising improved agriculture whether subsistence or commercial agriculture should begin to see the need to seek advice on crops to plant and type of fertiliser suitable for their soil and crop before actual cultivation.
Extension officers must be domiciled in their areas of operations to provide needed enlightenment to the teeming ignorant farmers wishing to embrace their services.
The media, particularly broadcast media ,should ensure that their programming accommodate coverage of a broad spectrum of fields of specialisation including agriculture where reasonable airtime is given to the practice of improved agriculture.
Perhaps, it will not be out of place to accommodate soil investigation and analysis in the call for thorough mapping and surveying of Nigeria in the quest to provide a holistic land cadastre system nationwide as canvassed by Nigeria Institute of Surveyors.
The importance of this lies in the fact that some industrialists wishing to embark on commercial agriculture in Nigeria can avail themselves of such scientific data to site industries for optimum productivity.
Research institutes and university laboratory services must be accessible to true farmers against the present trend where researches in various tertiary institutions are carried out as mere academic exercises designed to pass examination and obtain academic laurels.
Truly, the task to attain self-sufficiency in food production does not remain and end with mere planting crops but maintaining global best practices which encompass soil investigation, use of improved variety and right application of fertiliser among others.
The time to act is now.
Sika is of Radio Rivers, Port Harcourt.
Baridorn Sika
From the fore going, the fight against drug trafficking should be treated as an international challenge with open collaboration, if the world leadership must win the fight!.
The circumstances or should I say the improvement on drug related activities are modifying and updating on daily basis. A close friend of mine in the United States of America who recently visited Jamaica, came with a lot of complicated information about drug trafficking and transaction. Being a qualified Nurse in US and on a visit to the Reggae Country (Jamaica), she said she was put aback when a man approached her and introduced himself as a Pharmacist. According to her, she immediately picked interest due to her professional background. To her, a business partner is birthed. But she was shocked to the narrows on learning that drug dealers or traffickers and subriquited Pharmacist in that Country. From her account, they ( The Jamaican Pharmacists), are the first set to people to meet and greet you at the Airport. No government or authority challenges them in the open due to the sophisticated nature of their transportation
Come to think of it, who would want to attack a Pharmacist on duty? Nigerians are not left out in the improvement on drug deal. A chat with a confident in the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA) Rivers State Command, so revealed. The Officer draw my attention to the movement of Dispatch Riders. He said part of the reasons they ride with almost speed equivalent of the thunder lightning, is to meet up with the appointment of delivering hard drug consignment to a client of theirs. According to him, those guys popularly referred to as Yahoo Boys are the ones who now payroll dispatch riders so that they can deliver their consignment ( hard drugs) on schedule no matter the sort of traffic or weather condition. The fear of loosing rich clients and that of the unknown treatment that may come of the Boys, as the officer puts it, drives the Riders crazy thus the reason to speed even at the expense of their lives.
The account of a prominent Party Promoter, Wayne Anthony, as obtained online recently, also pointed out that ‘No Legislation Will Stop Clubbers From Doing Drugs’ Party promoter, Wayne Anthony, arrived in Ibiza, a Spanish Island in 1988, at the same time as dance music and the party drug ecstasy. Despite hallucinating badly enough to make him give up the lifestyle forever, he says laws will never stop clubbers taking drugs. “I don’t think you can control these things,” said former party promoter Wayne Anthony. He arrived in Ibiza in 1988 and began setting up club nights and raves in some of the island’s most iconic venues. In the years that followed, the sleepy Spanish island turned into a raver’s haven of clubbing and hedonism, with party drugs like ecstasy commonly found. “What Ibiza represented was this beautiful, hot island which was visually stunning and we knew you could party there quite legally,” said Wayne. “You didn’t have to look over your shoulder. You could just be as free as you possibly could be.”
That freedom came with a price. Along with the lavish clubs, all-day-benders and hot Spanish sun came drug cartels and crime. The city transformed into one the world’s most vibrant party capitals, “fuelled by a dangerous and lucrative drugs trade which drew as many criminals to its shores as it did party animals”. Wayne, one of the contributors to the documentary, spoke to Sky News ahead of its release.”I’m not going to sit here and say the cartels aren’t there. They are all there and they’ve been there from the ’90s,” said Wayne. But he said most people tried to ignore the organised crime going on around them. According to Wayne, clubbers usually took the approach of: “‘Give me 10 E’s . Behind the scenes of the filming of Ibiza Narcos with Wayne Anthony. Behind the scenes of the filming of Ibiza Narcos with Wayne Anthony. Hallucinating giant spiders Although he described the Balearic island as the “motherland”, it was eventually a bad experience with drugs that convinced Wayne it was time to leave Ibiza.
He’d been partying for days when he realised he’d taken too many drugs. A friend told him to drink cough medicine, dangerous advice that he now says could have killed him. “I saw the worst hallucination I’ve ever seen in all of my life. I ended up locking myself in the villa with all the shutters down. When he sobered up, he realised he had “come to the end” of his party life on the island. “I never looked back. I never took another drug. I got away from the club world.” ‘I don’t think you’re going to be able to stop it’ Despite his life-changing experience, he doesn’t think criminalising drugs is a good idea – or particularly effective. “If you’re old enough to vote for who’s going to be a world leader, if you’re old enough to put your name down on debt for 25 years, I feel like you should be old enough to govern what you put inside your own body, you know?” said Wayne.
Back to Nigeria, some illicit drugs worth over N30billion seized at Onne Port in Rivers State.
This blood chilling development forced the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency at the Onne Port, following what authorities described as repeated incidents of importation of dangerous cargo, including arms and ammunition through the said port. To this effect, the government said it was immediately implementing emergency protocols at Onne Port for the next three months by conducting thorough examinations of all suspected containers in the premises.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, in charge of the port via a press conference, said it henceforth, unveiled the seizures of illicit goods by the Nigeria Customs Service, Area 2 Command, Onne in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State. In defence for his action, Adeniyi said the recurring incidents posed a threat to national security, adding that the health of citizens at the Onne Port is increasingly being used as a destination for dangerous and illicit cargo, describing it as a disturbing trend.
The customs boss stated, “Earlier today, I joined numerous stakeholders to take a significant step towards the cause of trade facilitation through the inauguration of upgraded facilities provided by the West Africa Container Terminal, Onne. “As I express delight that trade facilitation is getting traction in Onne Port, I cannot help but call your attention to a grave concern. This has to do with the repeated incidents of national security breaches unfolding in Onne Port. I appreciate your presence, as we all have a shared responsibility in safeguarding our national security. As we are all aware, the policy thrust of Mr President supports the re-energising of our business environment to drive faster import clearance and grow our capacity for exports, Our emphasis has been to promote initiatives that speak to Trade facilitation and economic development. “It is a matter of regret that criminal elements in the international supply chain are exploiting our pro-trade stance to commit atrocities bordering on national security breaches”.
“The attempts to test our will through the importation of dangerous cargo through this port has necessitated the declaration of a state of emergency in Onne Port, coming on the heels of a seizure of a huge cache of arms a couple of months ago. It is disheartening that perpetrators have not backed down on their illegal acts. Recent intelligence and seizures have revealed a disturbing trend; Onne Port is increasingly being used as a destination for dangerous and illicit cargo. The scale and nature of these illegal importations pose a significant threat to our national security and the health of our citizens. Today, we are here to showcase yet another series of significant seizures made by the diligent officers of the Area 2 Command. On display are twelve containers of illicit goods intercepted through a combination of intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration, and meticulous physical examination. Seizures on Display include: Three (3) x 40-feet containers: Containing 562,600 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine and 3,150 pieces of chilly cutters, with a Paid Duty Value (DPV) of N4,716,573,846.
“Others are, three x 40-feet containers containing 380,000 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine, 24,480,000 tablets of Royal Tramadol Hydrochloride, 5,350,000 tablets of Tapentadol and Carisoprodol, and other items, with a DPV of N17,432,506,000 were seized”.
According to the report, more seized items were, “Five (5) x 40-feet containers; Containing 892,400 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine, 1,300,000 tablets of 50mg Really Extra Diclofenac, 7,250,000 tablets of 5mg Trodol Benzhexol, and other items, with a DPV of N8, 128,568,295,90. This very action of the Nigeria Customs Service, further complicated the hope of how soon the fight against drug trafficking could be brought to a halt owing to its high profile nature.
Another hair-raising report of the illicit drug deal has it that when NDLEA bursted a Snake-Guarded Shrine Used For Storing Illicit Drugs sometime ago in Edo State. This very news report was published in The Tide Newspaper on June 24, 2024. According to the report, NDLEA said its operatives uncovered a shrine, guarded by a snake, being used for storing illicit drugs, during an operation in Edo State. The Agency in a statement by its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, added that its operatives discovered a specially constructed large hole in a wall, hidden behind wallpapers and fetish objects used for drug storage. It further noted that methamphetamine, Loud, Colorado and Arizona, all strong strains of cannabis with a total weight of 8.743kg among others, were recovered from the shrine.
To be cont’d
King Onunwor
The persistent clash between farmers and herders in Nigeria has been a longstanding issue. These conflicts, often, over resources like land and water, have led to loss of lives, destruction of property, displacement of large numbers of people, deep-seated mistrust between communities and insecurity. Herders, traditionally nomadic, move their livestock in search of grazing land and water. Farmers, on the other hand, require the same resources for their crops. This competition often leads to clashes, especially in areas where land is becoming increasingly scarce due to population growth, climate change, and environmental degradation. As these clashes intensify, there has been a growing call for sustainable solutions. Two weeks ago, President Bola Tinubu took a bold step towards tackling the issue by inaugurating the Presidential Committee on Implementation of Livestock Reforms and creating the Ministry of Livestock Development.
The committee which has the president as the chairman and the former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega as the deputy chairman has the mandate to address obstacles to agricultural productivity and open up new opportunities which benefit farmers, herders, processors, and distributors in the livestock-farming value chain as well as propose recommendations aimed at fostering a peaceful co-existence between herders and farmers, ensuring the security and economic well-being of Nigerians.The establishment of the Ministry of Livestock Development was part of the recommendations of the National Livestock Reforms Committee. Part of the 21 recommendations submitted to the president include: “This agenda should include the establishment and resuscitation of grazing reserves as suggested by many experts and well-meaning Nigerians and other methods of land utilisation.
“Create the Ministry of Livestock Resources in line with practice in many other West African countries. In the alternative, Federal and State Governments should expand the scope of existing Departments of Livestock Production to address the broader needs of the industry,” among others. Experts in the agricultural sector have posited that the livestock industry can create millions of jobs directly in farming, processing, and distribution, and indirectly in related sectors like feed production, veterinary services, and marketing. It provides livelihoods for rural populations, helping to reduce poverty and improve the quality of life in rural areas. It also increases the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and foreign exchange earnings through the exports of livestock and livestock products such as meat, dairy, wool and leather.
According to them, a well-funded livestock industry supports the growth of agro-processing sectors, such as meat packing, dairy processing, and leather manufacturing, adds value to raw products and creates additional economic activity as well as stimulates the development of supply chains, including logistics, packaging, and retail, contributing to broader economic growth. It enhances economic resilience by diversifying the agricultural sector and providing a buffer against crop failures or other agricultural shocks and many more. Some other agriculturists have also opined that the livestock industry in Nigeria is currently underdeveloped and that by the creation of the ministry of livestock development will open up the industry which will be a huge money spinner for Nigeria.
Reports have shown that a Livestock Ministry can play a pivotal role in mitigating conflicts between farmers and herders by implementing policies and programmes aimed at fostering coexistence and sustainable resource management. The Ministry can work towards clearly demarcating grazing routes and farming areas. This would reduce instances of trespassing and accidental crop destruction, a common flashpoint for conflict. While introducing rotational grazing systems can ensure that land is used sustainably, preventing overgrazing and land degradation, establishing water points and boreholes specifically for livestock can reduce competition for water resources. Similarly, promoting the development of pasturelands through reseeding and controlled burns can improve grazing conditions.
According to a veterinary doctor, Dr Andrew Obadiah, by providing training for herders on sustainable livestock practices and for farmers on conflict resolution, both parties can understand the importance of coexistence. He said that extension services of the ministry can offer advice on improving livestock health and productivity, reducing the need for large herds and extensive grazing. “Setting up local committees involving both farmers and herders to mediate disputes can provide a platform for dialogue and peaceful resolution. Encouraging community-based conflict early warning systems can help prevent clashes before they escalate”, he emphasised.For Mrs. Stella Ugwu, a farmer, having a ministry dedicated to the development of the livestock industry can help in diversifying income sources for both farmers and herders and in turn reduce dependence on land.
”For instance, promoting agro-pastoralism can provide farmers with livestock and herders with agricultural produce”, she explained, adding that providing incentives for adopting sustainable practices, such as subsidies for fodder production or crop insurance, can ease economic pressures. Ugwu was however of the opinion that the creation of a new ministry to handle livestock affairs was uncalled for, since the job can effectively be done by the Technical and Service Department of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and food security and its equivalent on the states level.In some countries, the establishment of a Livestock Ministry or similar bodies has shown promising results. For example, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Agriculture includes a dedicated department for livestock which has successfully implemented programmes to improve pastoral livelihoods and reduce conflicts.
In Kenya, the establishment of the National Drought Management Authority has helped manage resources better, thus reducing clashes between herders and farmers during dry seasons.The president of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Othman Ngelzarma, sees the Ministry of Livestock Development achieving the same feat for Nigeria in the near future. He told newsmen that, “MACBAN expresses its deepest appreciation to the Federal Government for creating a ministry of livestock to unlock the trillion-naira livestock economy and create qualitative and productive jobs across the value chain to improve the Nigerian economy. With this development, MACBAN believes the hope of the Nigerian pastoralists is now achieved under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
However, the Middle Belt Forum took a different view of the proposed Ministry of Livestock Development, saying it was not enough to sustainably resolve the decades-long farmers-herders crisis in the country. According to the National President of the association, Mr. Bitrus Pogu, what is needed to end the perennial farmers/herders clashes is a deliberate action by regulatory bodies and the government to stop criminal elements from carrying out deadly attacks on innocent Nigerians, mainly farmers. Hear him: “If the reason for creating the Ministry is to stop clashes, I think it is wrong because all of these attacks and killings that are happening have nothing to do with conflicts between farmers and herders. “Farmers have never connived at any given time to go and attack herders, but rather, criminals who happen to be Fulani gang up and attack farmers, kill, maim and chase them out of their ancestral homes.
“Then, the Fulani will come and occupy them. So, it is more about invasion, criminality, and terrorism. And the majority of those they hire to do these evils are not even those who have cattle. So, a deliberate action has to be taken by the government against the perpetrators, which will address the criminality.” Mr. Pogu suggested that the government should adopt ranching for productivity and enduring peace between the pastoralists and farmers in particular and the entire country in general.While the establishment of a Livestock Ministry presents a viable solution, it is not without challenges. Funding constraints, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and corruption can hamper its effectiveness. Additionally, deeply ingrained cultural practices and mistrust between farmers and herders can be difficult to overcome.
Critics argue that without a holistic approach that includes land reform, climate change adaptation, and broader economic development, a Livestock Ministry alone may not be sufficient. Therefore, it must work in tandem with other governmental and non-governmental bodies to ensure comprehensive solutions. “A dedicated Livestock Ministry, with its focus on sustainable resource management, conflict resolution, and economic incentives, offers a promising avenue to address the root causes of these clashes. However, its success depends on effective implementation, adequate funding, and the cooperation of all stakeholders involved. With the right strategies and commitment, devoid of any political or selfish interest, it can play a crucial role in fostering peace and prosperity in affected regions”, they advised.
Calista Ezeaku